Two residents jumped from the second floor of a Newport Beach home Tuesday morning to escape a two-alarm blaze that tore through a two-story duplex, fire officials said.
Units from the Newport Beach Fire Department responded about 4:15 a.m. to the 300...

Firefighters evacuated an Irvine apartment building early Wednesday when water from a burst pipe flooded some of the units and leaked into an electrical room, authorities said.
Crews responded around 2 a.m. to the Modera Irvine apartments at 2850 Kelvin...

HomeAid Orange County, along with the Children and Families Commission of Orange County, delivered more than 1.2 million items Thursday to 17 facilities serving homeless families, according to a news release.
This year's Essentials for Young Lives...

UC Irvine's student government is considering legislation that would condemn the actions of a campus fraternity and force the group to change its longstanding nickname after students complained about its Islander-themed party.
UCI's Phi Gamma Delta...

John Wayne Airport practiced its response to a major emergency Friday.
Half a dozen county agencies plus hospitals, Delta Air Lines, the American Red Cross and other emergency personnel took part in the drill from 9 a.m. to noon that simulated a crash with multiple casualties.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires the full-scale drill every three years, according to a news release from the airport.
"The purpose of the drill is to test and practice the operational capability of the airport's...

It's about 6:10 a.m. Thursday and 52 degrees in Costa Mesa.
Gaetano Russo has already been on the clock for 2 1/2 hours.
The skies are still black when his work truck approaches a side gate at the Santa Ana Country Club. He parks the Ford F-350 just off Newport Boulevard, the thoroughfare's two lanes empty at this time of the morning.
Like a responding police car or fire truck, he turns on the emergency lights. They go flashing about the scene conspicuously.
But Russo is here for a different...

American Red Cross Photos

Just let me say that I like a good, loud bang as much as the next guy. However, it seems ludicrous for Costa Mesa and Newport Beach to talk about rules, regulations, bans and "safe and sane" legal fireworks every year before the big day.
If you haven't driven down Santa Ana Avenue on the Fourth after dark, you might think that sounds reasonable. It is like a war zone. Through the smoke screen you can see the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air. With small sticks of dynamite blasting and wayward...

John A. Scott
Rear Admiral John A. Scott, U.S. Navy (ret.) passed away on Wednesday, July 10 in Irvine, California. A native of Northern Ireland, Rear Admiral Scott was born on February 7, 1920 the son of William and Lily Scott. He graduated from San Pedro (California) High School, Whittier College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. He was commissioned in the Navy in 1942, retiring as a Rear Admiral in 1974 after a distinguished...

Jay Peeters prefers not to discuss his time in the United States Army.
He admits, "I've been shot at and blown up," and leaves it at that.
A remnant of his 20 years of service, though, is an appreciation for the American Red Cross. While Peeters was an officer, the organization hosted a funeral for his colleague's deceased relative, helped pay bills and provided physical and mental healthcare.
The son of a Vietnam veteran, Peeters, 46, is determined not to let people forget that their lives are...

There will be a blood drive Tuesday in the Emergency Operations Center next to the Costa Mesa Police Department at 99 Fair Drive.
Costa Mesa is partnering with the American Red Cross to host the drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to a news release from the city.
There will be a limited number of walk-ins available, but online reservations are encouraged.
To donate blood, participants must be healthy, 17 or older and at least 110 pounds. With signed parental consent, 16-year-olds can also donate....